He's not smart enough to figure it out, or is he?
by KattyTime
Summary: Can one slip up at Nasty Burger cause Danny's secret to be revealed to Dash of all people. What happens when the face of a horrible future comes back to haunt them?
1. Seeing Green

I own nothing. Major headache, so if this stinks blame it on that.

A piece of candy went flying through the air landing on a not so happy Sam Manson.

"Would you two cut it out? I don't even get the point of the game." She said chewing on her salad.

"Sam lighten up. It is just like paper football but with candy. And instead of aiming for their hands you aim for their mouth." Danny explained as he opened his mouth for tucker to aim again.

"I understand what you're doing. I just don't get why." She said.

"Tucker and I are having a competition to see who can catch ten first." Danny said.

"That would be great if the score wasn't zero to zero and you only had three pieces left." She said pointing her fork to the almost empty bag.

Danny put the candy in his plastic fork and pulled back on it. It went flying and hit a near by Dash in the back of the head.

"Okay! Who was that! Fenturd!" He screamed. He moved quickly over to Danny and smashed his Mr. Meaty burger on his head. He leaned down on his table acting as though the stance asserted his dominance.

Danny's eyes flashed green. Dash gasped and took a step back. He let out a cough and then started to chew.

"Score!" Tucker said even tough he was aiming for Danny." Oh Boy." Tucker soon tried to stand and run away, but Dash blocked the exit.

"Techno Geek. You are going to pay. Don't go anywhere Fenton. You're next." Dash said with a smile that could kill roses.

"OH look. A football scoot for that college Dash wants to go to is right outside. And it looks like he's talking to Kwan." Sam said in a voice that stunk with fake excitement.

"That no good back stabber! Wait, I'll be right there! I'll deal with you two later." Dash said. _And I'm going to find out what's up with his eyes. _Dash thought to himself. He ran out the door.

Same and Tucker turned to Danny.

"What?" Danny said.

"You're eyes. That was a close one. BE more careful, dude." Tucker said.

"Yeah right like Dash is smart enough to figure out that I have ghost powers." Danny said as they continued to eat their lunch.


	2. Popular

I own nothing.

Dash went outside to see that no one was there, no even Kwan.

"Oh great. Ms. Darkness tricked me again." He asked feeling like an idiot that he knew he wasn't.

He heard a scream from behind him. A blue fat man in overalls was attacking the restaurant.

"GHOST!" Dash yelled and ran away as manly as he could. Which by the look of it wasn't very well executed.

Suddenly, the great hero emerged from the roof.

"Why do you always attack with boxes. You aren't even dangerous. Just annoying." Phantom yelled.

"I am the Box Ghost! FEAR ME!" The ghost yelled at Phantom and the public. Dash obeyed.

"Not in this life time." Phantom replied and trapped the ghost in a thermos. Dash cheered. Phantom went around the corner and disappeared. Dash ran after his to think Phantom and ask if he wanted to hang out. He ignored the dumpsters and walked forward only to bump into Fenton.

"Watch it Fentoneo." He yelled.

Fenton closed his eyes, let out a sigh, and walked away. Dash turned to let out another threat only to see what Fenton was hold, a thermos. Was he working with Phantom? No way, he wasn't cool enough to even know him. He must have just been here being a weirdo and found it. Yeah, that makes sense.

Dash continued down the alley looking for Phantom. When he reached the end, he sighed and said, "The dork must have scared him off." Dash walked away. His jacket felt heavier on his shoulders. He was suppose to be the most popular guy in town and he could even manage to have a conversation with the guy that had rightfully won that title. What a letdown.


	3. What harm could it do?

I own nothing.

Dash sat at his usual table ranting about his touchdown at last nights game.

"They never even stood a chance." He said proudly. He was ignoring the fact that they had lost the game. After all, who cared how everyone else did? He had put everyone to shame.

He looked over Kwan's shoulder and saw the nerd herd. Fenturd and his girlfriend were getting a burger and a salad that looked like he had gone bad last week. Techno geek was talking to a girl theta looked like she was about to either slap him or rejected him or both. All was right in the world.

"Dude are you even listening?" Kwan said.

"Oh yeah sure?" Dash asked confused to what he was agreeing to.

"Great! Be there by 5." Kwan said as he walked away with Star. What had he just agreed to? I didn't matter for long. Kwan and Star came running back to the table screaming. "A fat ghost in overalls is raiding the storage room!" He yelled.

Dash held back a scream that would have put a six year old girl to shame. He saw a flash a of light come from the nerd herd. Where they taking pictures of the ghost? Where they fans of it? Figures the weirdo Goth liked ghost beside Phantom. He was awesome. Speaking of the other worldly hero.

"You really need to get a hobby! Or a girlfriend!" Phantom said. A green ray came out of his hands and hit boxes that flew at him. Phantom hit a box right back at thru ghost and then sucked him into another thermos.

"Go Phantom!" Dash yelled.

Phantom gave a small laugh and flew to another room. Another flash hit Dash's eyes. The goth was probably taking pictures of the ruined food court. Typical.

Dash ran to the supply closet where he said saw Phantom fly into. Empty. Why did he keep disappearing? He had so many fans. People loved him. He gave his own safety for all of the people in amity park. Dash opened the closet door only to find it empty. He saw Fenton walking towards his friends. He always hid when ghost came. What a wimp! Dash thought as he closed the door back. He tripped on a round object. It was the termos Phantom had carried or was it Fenton's? He decided to keep it. After all what could it hurt? IT was only a thermos. He took it back to his room. Despite his better judgment, he opened it.

"Beware!" The ghost that exited it yelled. Dash screamed.

"Where is the halfa?" The box ghost commanded.

"The half what?" Dash said as he coward on the floor.

"The halfa! Danny Phantom. The human that turns into a ghost! Where is he! Tell me or I will control all of your codicil cardboard containers!"

"My what?" Dash asked again. "Do you mean my boxes?" Dash asked. The ghost wasn't scary just lame.

"Yes! You cardboard containers of doom!"

"Tell me what halfa means and you can have them." Dash offered. "Then you leave and never come back!" He said. Maybe he could take this guy! After all he was fat. If he couldn't fly Dash might have a chance.

"Half ghost. Half human!" Box ghost yelped. "Now give me the boxes! Of DOOM!"

"Downstairs." Dash said pointing at a door in the hall way.

"Good bye! And Beware!" Box ghost added.

So Phantom was half human, but what human was he?


	4. Pictures

I own nothing.

Dash laid on his bed holding the thermos. The ghost in overalls was downstairs getting all the old cardboard boxes. He looked at his pictures of Phantom. He was only half human. Half of him was weak and powerless. Did this make him more special or less? Dash was confused. How could someone so strong and heroic be part human. Did that mean he could actually die while fighting? Was he actually in danger? It was different if it was a ghost. They were not afraid of dying. They were already dead.

Dash let his heart sink. All this time he was cheering on a hero that seemed immortal, but it was just a guy that could seriously be injured. He hugged one of his bears. It provided little comfort. One guy that could die was fighting for all of them. Dash made up his mind. He would help Phantom, even if Phantom didn't want it. If one person was risking their life for him he'd do the same. He grabbed his cell phone.

"Kwan, meet me at the park in fifteen minutes." He said leaving no time for a response. He put the phone in his pocket and the thermos in his back pack. He called out to his parents to say he was leaving. He slammed through the front door. He headed to the park only to hear the dorks approaching.

"I'm telling you I had it when I left the mall." Danny said moving his arms more than necessary to make his point. Dash let out an annoyed sign. Great not only was he uncool. He was absent minded.

"It couldn't have just grown legs and walked about. We'll retrace your steps." Sam said. She seemed annoyed, but sympathetic. Her sympathy didn't seem to be directed to Danny.

"Yeah! I know he's annoying, but you can't just leave him in a thermos." Tucker added.

This stopped Dash in his tracks. He didn't even hear Danny's response or notice when he ran straight into Dash's back.

"Sorry Dash. Don't kill me." Fenton said and waited for a punch. Dash just stood there.

They had trapped someone in a thermos just like that ghost that loved boxes. Was he? Where they? How! How could they-? Dash's thoughts scattered.

"Dash, hello. Earth to Dash?" Danny said.

"Dude, looks like you got a reprieve today. Take it!" Tucker said. He started to walk away.

"I think he is broken." Sam said waving her hand in front of his face. She cared about all life Something was very wrong.

"Let's just go. He'll be fine." Tucker said. Danny shrugged and walked away. Sam took a few steps and looked back. What was Dash's problem?

Dash just kept staring. Sam had been seen with Phantom, but Dash thought it was it was because she was Goth. Maybe she was dating Phantom. Dash moved quickly. He took out his cell and turned to a picture of Phantom. He ran up to Danny who fletched expecting the punch he hadn't gotten earlier. Dash held the picture up to Danny. Besides the eye and hair color, they looked identical. Was Fenturd? No impossible! He wasn't cool enough. He wouldn't risk his life for Dash. Would he?

"You're- You're-" He couldn't get the words out.

"Nope, still broken." Tucker said.

"You're PHANTOM!" Dash yelled. Was it possible? Danny turned pale.

"No! No, I'm not." Dash knew it was a lie. Kwan would never believe this. Dash took a picture of Danny so Kwan could see it for himself. Dash took of running. He couldn't believe it. His hero was his victim. Dash remembered every hit he had given Fenton. Dash realized that Danny could have taken him out at anytime. Why didn't he? If he was in Fenton's shoes he would have done it. He would have made the bully regret the day he was born. Why was Fenton protecting him?

"Dash stop!" He heard from behind his. He didn't know who it was , but he spend up. His phone was still in his hands. He risked a look back. Fenton was gaining on him. Was he actually Phantom? It was starting to look more possible.

He found Kwan near the swings.

"Kwan, you won't believe it!" Dash said. Danny's secret was almost out. Danny, Tucker, and Sam were almost there. Dash the the phone to Kwan. Kwan caught it with a confused look.


	5. Yeah Right

I own nothing.

Dash saw the phone fly and land in the manly hands of Kwan. Dash felt arms around his waist and Danny managed to tackle him to the ground. Kwan laughed.

"Dude, why is Fenton after your phone?" Kwan asked not even looking at the pictures.

"Because he-!" Danny placed his hand over Dash's mouth.

"Because he took a picture of Danny and Sam kissing." Tucker said using the stupidest excuse he could find.

"Why would you want a picture of that?" Kwan asked questioning Dash.

"blackmail?" Tucker said with an unsure voice.

Dash bit Danny got to hit feet. "he's Phantom!" Dash yelled.

Kwan laughed. "Yeah, and I'm a ballerina."

"I'm serious!" Dash pleaded.

"Yeah right! Dude here's your phone back!" Kwan said as he threw the phone to Dash and walked off.

Dash faced Danny. "We need to talk." Danny said.


	6. Welcome to Team Phantom

I own nothing.

Dash sat in the chair. His hands were cuffed behind him so he couldn't run. The lab was larger than it looked. Metal "inventions" sat on ever table. What looked like weapons hung on the wall. What had he uncovered?

"Were the cuffs needed?" Dash asked moving his shoulders trying in a vain attempted to gain some comfort.

"Yes, you already tried to tell Kwan. We need to talk, and we have to make sure you don't tell everyone something that may or may not be true." Tucker said. He was trying to appear threatening. The only threatening thing in the room was Danny deep in thought. Dash shuttered at thinking of the things Danny could do to him for finding out his secret.

"You knowing isn't the problem. It is you telling that is the problem." Sam said.

"I won't tell." Dash pleaded.

"Even if you don't tell, you'll start treating me differently and that would lead people to start investigating." Danny said. There was no way to secure his secret without a threat, but that wasn't Danny. He would never hurt someone for finding out his secret. So, he sat there his mind filling with all the possibilities of what could happen now. Danny finally stood.

"We'll have to tell him. Hope he can keep it a secret." Danny said. He picked up a thermos and put it in front of Dash.

"I take it you already know what this is. I won't lie to you. You will be in danger at all times. You will start to look at ghost differently. You will have to learn to protect yourself." Danny said. He didn't want to do this. "Unless you leave now. You will have to help us or stay away from us. Your choice. Walk away now or help and pretend you know nothing in public."

"Danny! You can't do this. We are your friends. How do you know we can trust him?" Sam argued.

"I don't." Danny said.

"I want to help, even if it means living a double life. I won't tell. I'll still bully you. Maybe not punch you as hard, but they will never know." Dash offered.

Danny undid the cuffs. "Welcome to the team."

Sam and Tucker exchanged looks. Humor usually broke the tension, but there was none now. Dash was a part of team Phantom. It didn't matter if they liked it or not.


	7. Messed Up

I own nothing.

Dash looked down at the thermos in his hands. Two lives, that's what he would be living now. He didn't want to let Phantom or the town down. He looked around his room. He would need to work out harder. What if he missed a game? Would his grades go down? They couldn't really be any lower than they already were. He could end up failing the team. HE could lose football. The only thing he had going for him besides his looks. He should have thought of that before he agreed to join team Phantom. He let out a sigh and sat on his bed. Then it hit him harder than he expected. He could die. He would be risking his life for the town. If he could ignore his fear, he would have noticed that he had a chance to be the towns new hero.

He let his heart calm down. This was a lot to take in and he didn't have ghost powers to protect himself. Tucker and Sam didn't either and they seemed fine. Unpopular, but alive. Oh right his popularity. How many parties would he miss? How many dates.

Selfish thoughts filled his head as screams filled the town. He didn't have anymore time to regret it. He was out of the house within minutes. He followed the screams of "ghost" all the way to the school. A wolf ghost stood in front of the school. Before he could ask questions he sucked the ghost up into the thermos. Only one question filled his mind, 'why was that ghost wearing a swear shirt." He heard Sam scream and quickly turned to see her being kidnapped by a green bird and an unconscious Fenton on the ground. Tucker was no where in sight.

"I caught him. I caught the wolf." Dash said as Danny started to open his eyes.

"You idiot." Danny said. Dash looked on in shock. "You captured Wolf. He's on our team. Where are Tucker and Sam?"

"The bird took Sam. I don't know where Tucker is." Dash said.

"YOU LET THEM TAKE SAM!" Danny screamed. Even Jazz hadn't messed up this badly. Danny's eyes flashed green. Danny was on his feet and back into Phantom in very little time. "That's weird." Danny said as Dash looked at him in awe. "I'm going after Sam. Vlad has her. Look for Tucker and let Wulf out. Walker might have taken Tucker. If those two are working together, this will get messy." Danny said as he flew away. Where was the humor and the light heartedness that normally surrounded Fenturd? Gone. Just like Tucker and Sam. Gone. He pressed release on the thermos. Wulf was angry.

"Friend?" The thing Dash wanted to call a monster asked.

"Yes." Dash swallowed. Wulf didn't speak anymore assuming that he didn't speak the same language. Wulf ignored Dash.

"Did I mess up?" Dash asked.

"Big time." Tucker answered.

"I thought you were gone." Dash said.

"I was sitting up a trap. One that didn't work." Tucker admitted.

"Danny thought someone named something took you." Dash said confused on what he had interrupted.

"Walker. He will be coming for Wulf. We have to go. Now." Tucker said. There was no life in the group. How did they go through this everyday? Who were these people? These weren't the same people he went to school with everyday. They couldn't be. Those people were nerd not heroes.

"I walked into more than I expected." Dash admitted.

"It isn't usually like this there is normally only one villain. Vlad kidnapped Sam to get Danny's DNA to make a clone." Dash tried to interrupt. Tucker put up his hand. "Long story. Anyway, Wulf escaped jail. He is a friend, but he doesn't speak English. Walker takes care of the jail and wants Wulf back. He also wants to arrest Danny." Tucker said.

"So, what do we do?" Dashed asked.

"I take it you interrupted the trap. Wulf was to corner one and then I opened a portal with the ectogun from up there. Danny would then push both of the ghost into the portal. You capture Wulf. So, the vulture took a chance and took Sam." Tucker said. Pointing at the roof of the school.

"Wait both? I only saw one." Dash said.

"The other must have knocked Danny unconscious while he was trying to capture it." Tucker said.

"What happens if it is still free?" Dash asked.

"I don't know, but we have to get out of here before Walker finds us." Tucker said.

"Too late." A voice said from behind them.


	8. Welcome to the Ghost Zone

I own nothing.

Dash's mind went blank as a ghost took over his body. He tried to fight back. But every muscle of his body seemed to want to betray him. His hand moved and his mouth formed a smile as his consciousness left his body.

When he awoke, he was in a chair and was bonded with glowing ropes. He tried to move his hand and was surprised when it went through the ropes. He put it back as he heard someone enter the room.

Danny followed the ghost as fast as he could. He was getting tired. His body has already taken a beating. Slowly logic hit him as he remember the ghost in his thermos. He continued to fly. A white band started to form around his body. 'Not yet!' His mind screamed as his body ached from fatigue. 'Sam. You're doing it for Sam!' The band soon formed two.

He consciously fought his own body to stay as Phantom, but soon his own eyes were fighting him. The bands moved from his midsection to his chest. 'Where were get headed?' Danny wandered. His concentration was broken. He started to fall. The air left his lungs as black bangs moved in front of his eyes.

He barley managed to transform back as he felt his nose touch the ground. Sweat began to drip off his face and years filled his eyes. Tears of relief and of anger. His now white hair laid in a mess of ecto blood and sweat. He stood and gathered his breath.

The air felt cold on his face as he flew to the sky. Sam was gone. The silence felt like a thousand screams. He wanted to let out a ghostly wail, but reserved himself. He didn't have the energy.

Tears again left his eyes. The pain finally hit him. He started to fall again. He managed to stay conscious until a few feet above the ground. Darkness surrounded him. It swallowed and engulfed him. The peace that settled over him chilled his heart.

Tucker rounded the corner. He managed to get out of the room using Danny's old trick. One that Tucker knew Dash had no clue about. "In the ghost zone, we are the ghost."

Dash never felt so relieved as he did when Tucker entered the room.

"The ropes can't hold you. We can just walk out. We aren't dead so Walker can't punish us." Tucker said as he waited for Dash to stand up.

"What about your friend, Coyote?" Dash asked as he stood and rubbed his wrist. They didn't hurt, but ghost rope felt weird as it passed through his skin.

Tucker face palmed. "Wulf. His name is wulf. And he can handle himself."

for the second time that day Dash asked himself. 'Who were these people?'


	9. Three Types of Portals

I own nothing.

Dash and Tucker wandered the Ghost Zone in a desperate attempt to find an exit. Dash visibly shivered at the color scheme. The eerie green sky made his skin craw. He was never into girly colors, but he would defiantly take pink over the green that surrounded the floating doors.

There would be a price to pay in the after life when Walker actually did have a handle on their fates.

The quarterback felt his heart drop as he saw Ember floating away with her guitar. She was a ghost. Everyone was. Who was she before she was Ember? The question lingered a moment before he finally noticed that Tucker was gone.

He caught up to the techno geek. "How long until we get out of this place?" Dash asked trying to hold on to his composure as he finally let the realization of being in a world of ghost settle over his mind.

"We'll get out as soon as we find one of three types of portals." Tucker said.

"Three types?" Dash asked.

"Human made. Ghost made. And naturally accruing." Tucker said counting off his fingers.

"Ghost can make portals?" Dash asked barley even recognizing what a portal was.

"As far as we've seen, very few." Tucker answered honestly.

Dash tried to bite his lip to keep it from quivering. "Who can?" He asked.

"Wulf. Probably Box Ghost because of how many times he's escaped, or maybe he just found a naturally accruing one." Tucker said rubbing hid chin thinking.

"Anyone else?" Dash asked as his voice shook. This wasn't right. Ghost and humans should be separate, but then where did Danny belong?

"Maybe. There are so many ghost in the ghost zone it is impossible to tell who can move between realms." Tucker said using his arms spread as a sign as to how vast to worlds really were.

"Realms?" Dash asked as he began to feel tired. How was the techno geek still going? Had months of helping to save the world really have that much affect on a nerd?

"Well they are more than worlds. Each door is a world in and of itself. The portals travel through time and space." Tucker said looking at the sky instead of Dash.

"Woah." Dash said. The worlds were connected and probably could never be separated.

"We're here!" Tucker said.

Where 'here' was Dash wasn't exactly sure.  
"This one is man made, but it is our best chance. There isn't exactly anything we can eat here. Ghost don't keep food since they don't need it. Same for toilets." Tucker said. He put his face and thermos through the portal. He stepped through as Dash stood in shock. He weighed his chances of finding another portal before he died of hunger and stayed there forever. He stepped through, hoping it wouldn't rearrange his organs.

"Woah." Dash said as his eye focused on a lab that was still under construction. With a computer on a rather large desk. That wasn't the shocking part. The screen saver was Danny's mom.


	10. Sounds

I own nothing.

Vlad's lair needed some major work. Most computers weren't even up and running. The ones that were had nothing on them. Tucker was busy downloading what little appeared to be on the computers. Dash examined the room. Nothing, nothing, and more nothing. He could hear someone in the hallway.

"You idiot! Why did you bring her here! This place isn't even finished. How will we even know when he's here!" Vlad yelled. So this wasn't a plan. Maybe they had a chance if they had a way to tell Danny. Dash tried to sneak back to Tucker only to crash into a computer monitor that had yet to be installed.

"Who's there?" Vlad yelled as if someone would answer.

Dash and Tucker took in a breath. This was why the portal was open. Nothing was finished. The portal had been up for maybe two days. Vlad yelled from the hallway.

"Ah Daniel. How are -" He stopped short when he saw Dash. "You aren't the little badger." He yelled.

"Little Badger? Isn't that a weird pet name?" Dash asked. This guy gave him a weird vibe. "Wait aren't you that guy running for mayor?" Dash asked.

"Kill him." Vlad commanded his last loyal bird.

Tucker had ducked behind a desk.

Sam was starting to come too. Danny could barley heard the sound of his own breath.

Tucker sent Danny a message, hoping it would get through. He felt the air grow cold and knew the Vulture was behind him. He captured it in the thermos. He practically held his breath as Vlad transformed in front of him.

"You're a ghost!" Dash asked. It had only been one day, but come on. Was he really surprised?

"Yes, and you're going to be." Vlad said.

"Why did you transform? I'm only human." Dash asked hoping for mercy.

"Only an idiot would think that thermos on your belt loop was anyone's but Phantom's."

Dash felt insulted. "Well only an idiot would turn on a ghost portal before his lab was finished." He resorted.

Vlad lunged forward only to be caught by the Fenton O' nine tails. Sam was groggy, but conscious. Sam tied the other end to an exposed water pipe.

"We will be going on." She said. Tucker stop hiding.

"I wasn't hiding. I was down loading." He said.

"How are we suppose to get out of here?" Dash asked.

"The same way Vlad got here. He has to have a car or something." They went off into he vast ghost filled layer looking for an exit and maybe another half ghost.


	11. Reunited

I own nothing. Sorry, updates are going to be a little different. College just started back so you may get more updates on some and none on others. I will just be working on them in my spare time.

Danny could feel the strain on his body. The blood was dried on him shirt. He could feel pain. The cold went down to him bones. He tried to remember. All he could think of was that Sam was in trouble. He couldn't remember where he was or how he got there. It seemed to be a forest. He remember Vlad's minions. He remembered the look on Sam's face as one tried to grab her. Her thermos was on the ground. Danny grabbed his. He remembered putting the ghost in his place only to see something blond run over. As he turned his head darkness came over him. Then... Then? Who knew. It was so much easier when the morning started.

Wulf showed up unexpectedly. Tucker tried to translate, but something were lost in the rush. Soon Sam called to say she was being followed. Rushing to the school. Tucker arrived a minute later. He pointed to the tower. I nodded knowing he would open a portal. Wulf wanted to help too, but with Walker closing in, it was best if he stood on the side lines, so he wasn't distracted when Walker showed up. After all, it was just the Vultures. If it came down to it, he could push the ghost into Tucker's portals or make his own.

Dash's face flashed to his mind. He was the distraction. The rest was hazy. He flew a few feet up and looked around. It was just forest surrounding him. Where was Sam? Logic hit him as he took out his phone. GPS. A little creepy, but when you are in constant danger, needed. He followed the little blinking dot to a cave. What he found surprised him. Vlad was tried to a pole. How did that happen? He hardly noticed his surroundings.

"Ah Daniel? Do you mind lending me a hand?" Vlad said. Gesturing with his shoulder.

"Did Sam do that?" He asked not even bothering to hold back his laugh.

"Yes, it seems your little girlfriend, the geek, and the nit whit actual make a good team." Vlad said hoping to light a spark of jealousy.

Danny frowned. Vlad smiled as if it was working. Then Danny smiled.

"Good, because they are. I'd rather have a team that can work without me than a team that can't work at all." Danny said as he moved to the door into the hallway.

"Daniel, get back here and free me!" Vlad yelled. Danny ignored him. The hallway was dark. Danny lite an ecto orb.

.

Sam heard a small giggle. She turned only to see a flash of black hair.

She let her hand touch the wall. A small hand touched hers.

"Danny?" She asked.

"Depends, do you mean the one with a y or an I?" Said the small preteen.

"Isn't that Danny's cousin?" Dash asked as he tried to see in the dark hallway.

"What's he doing here?" Danni asked.

"He's one of us now. Not my idea." Sam stated.

"No one answered my question. Is that his cousin?" Dash asked taking an unguided step forward. Tucker didn't see the jock coming his way and fell upon contact with the unexpected force. Dash followed shortly after.

"Ouch get off me!" Tucker yelled. Danni laughed.

"I thought he was a jock. What's he doing here? Isn't it time for football practice?" Danni asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Why do you know when football practice is?" Tucker asked, using the wall to get off the ground. Dash laughed at the sound Danni made before muttering out an answered about knowing one's enemy.

"So this is his cousin?" Dash asked clearly annoyed at being ignored. Something he hadn't had to deal with for a long time.

"No, I'm not." Danni answered. As she started to walk forward.

"Then who is she." Dash asked Tucker.

"His clone." Tucker answered honestly before walking off.

Dash froze in his tracks. A clone? How could that girl be a clone of Danny? Without female DNA there was no way for Dania to be a girl. Dash's brain hurt. He didn't even know if he was right. He was just a jock, right? A flash of braces hit his mind. A long forgotten memory. A small bit of light hit their eyes. Sam raised her hand.

She hated the sun, but she was happy to see it. Well, as happy as a Goth could be in the sun. Dani smiled.

"Why were you in there?" Dash asked.

"Someone needs to damage his equipment before he used it. Can't do much with only powers. The better his weapons the worse the fight." Dani admitted remembering how betrayed and unwanted he made her feel. Her fist tightened. The man she once called father was nothing more than a monster.

Exiting the cave felt like a relief, but they still had no way home. An exit not an escape. Just as they were about to head around to look for a garage or any means of transport, Dash let out a gasp of surprise.

"He's got three limos." He exclaimed. Checking to see if they were locked. Only one was. He pulled down the eye protector and a pair of keys fell out. After all, who would think about their car being stolen in the middle of a forest. Dash found two gas cans and put them in the back.

"Wait, where's Danny?" Tucker finally asked. Danny had left long before they found the portal.

"Danny's here?" Dani asked.

"He was suppose to be." Dash answered as Tucker disabled the GPS. Was a limo really able to handle this kind of road? It did get there some how.

Sam had her ear to the phone as a man's voice answered.

"Sam! You're okay? Where are you?" Danny asked.

"I'm fine. We are out back. We even found Dani." Sam answered.

"Dani's here?" As if they weren't identical already.

"Yes, we are about to leave. Where are you?" Sam asked.

"I'm in Vlad's cave." Danny answered. "I'll be outside in a minute." Danny answered

Danny flew up and through the cave. Spotting them wasn't difficult. Everyone seemed so happy to see him.

Happier than Dash's friends had ever been. Was this what being loved looked like? Dash let his head fall as Sam told him to take the wheel. By the time he got home, he was after dark. That didn't matter. No one had even noticed he was gone except his coach, who had left three messages on the machine. Dash deleted them and headed to bed only to hear the alarm go off as he hit the pillow, yet again he questioned how Danny had been doing it for so long.

.

School and gossiped seemed boring. It didn't matter what movie anyone saw, or where the next party was going to be. Then Dash did something he never expected himself to do. He sat with Sam, Tucker , and Danny. Their looks where confused and angry, but it was so much better than a meaningless smile.


	12. First Ghost

I own nothing.

Dash put his head in his hands. Sweat beaded down his forehead. He cursed. Another lose. Game after game he was losing. The lack of sleep and practice was getting to him.

Paulina had announced another party for Friday. For once, Dash wasn't invited. Much like the once popular Valerie, Dash was losing his popularity. Was it worth it? Danny could handle the ghost. He had been long before Dash found out. Could he honestly go back? A week ago that answer would have been simple. Now as he starred at the ceiling of the locker room, it was unclear. Who could let a friend go through that? Was Danny even his friend?

Dash was lost in his own thoughts and didn't notice that the team had left. He grabbed and gym bag and went outside. The rain fit the situation. Just as he was about to jump into his truck. He heard a scream. Of all the people to be in danger, why did it have to be the one he was trying to avoid.

Box Ghost had trapped the coach in a large box. (Shocker) Coach was tearing through the boxes. Dash trapped Box Ghost into the thermos. He smiled at himself. He actually is it without messing up.

Coach managed to get a good look at the blond's hair before he ran off. Since when was Phantom blond?

dash ran into Fenton works before he even knew he was running. He heard a gasp as he barged into Danny's room.

Danny and Sam gave him a look at curiousity. Dash unable to speak handed them the thermos. They were surprised to see if wasn't empty.

.

.

.

Dash, Sam, and Danny went down to the lab. As Sam updated the log, Danny put the Box Ghost back through the portal.

"So your first solo ghost." Sam said trying to get at the point that Dash might have been trying to fix his own mistake.

"It was the one that uses boxes." Dash said filling with pride until he heard Danny snicker.

"Box Ghost is a weak ghost." Danny said removing the thermo from the dock.

"Weak?" Dash asked as his ego shrunk to the size of a grape.

"Yes, weak. As in on a scale of one to ten of evilness, he's a negative one. Annoying, but ultimately harmless." Sam answered as she opened the Box ghost's information.

"If he's so weak, then why catch him?" Dash asked.

"Because any kind of ghost causes mass panic." Danny answered. The look in his eyes told the whole story. Dash backed away and looked at the data base.

"Who's that?" He asked pointing at Dan's name." Sam ignored him. She wasn't opening that can of worms. Dash knew he was entitled to see. He was part of the team after all he was the leader. No, no he wasn't. Not anymore. Danny was the leader of Team Phantom.

"Show him." Danny said heading upstairs. Dash needed to know, but he didn't want to see.

"That's Danny?" He heard Dash asked. Tears filled his eyes as he remember all of the things he hoped to never do.


	13. Time

I own nothing

Maybe I was imagining it. Maybe I was wrong, but for once high school didn't see as good as I thought. Secrets were hidden. Lies told. Slowly the world changed. Everyone was so happy. That was until HE showed up.

"This has been a long time coming. It will be a pleasure to end you." He yelled as the world turned black. Sam had been on patrol that morning.

She reported strange readings from the ghost locator. She left a message on our phones. I barley heard it ring before it happened. Nasty Burgers was up in smoke. I ran. Danny was already there. Well, in a way. Dan was scarier in person. I thought Clockwork had contained him. I thought we were safe.

By the time I woke up, I could barley hear anything. I wasn't even sure how I had survived.


	14. Death

I own nothing. Sorry about the last chapter being in first person. WARNING! Violence and descriptive sadness and gore.

DEATH.

The smell of it. More than just that of rot. No rot had not touch the charred bodies around him. Flesh peeled back from the skull of a young girl that laid on the ground. A large piece of brick wall pinned her pale, yet fit legs to the blood covered floor of the Nasty Burger. What was left of her clothing revealed a pink top and black pants. The uncharted hair was once black. He dared not to try and identify her remains. Several others all from Dash's age group seemed to be twist and disfigured. Bones torn out of their sockets.

DEATH.

It held a new meaning to Dash. He had seen death in the form of a lost pet, but this was more than death. It was a gut wrenching mangled mess of gore and travesty.

DEATH.

Of all the things he could have heard, he never expected laughter. A deep laugh bathed in all the darkness that all of existence could have held, leaked out into the otherwise silent world.

Dan floated above Dash with a smile that could sending all sources of happiness into hiding. What was the emotion Dash could feel working its way into his heart? It was more than dread. Even more then fear. It was pure unfiltered terror. There was also the unmistakable sadness that only resulted from the loss of those closest to him.

"Get up!" He heard through the ringing. His heart raced. A small wave of joy hit him. It was Danny. The really Danny. The beckon on light in a world of darkness. He tried to stand. It took a moment to get his balance.

"Save-"Danny said, before being knocked to the ground by Danny. The ball of ecto energy had hit him in the chest.

Save? Save what? The place had been burned down. Was there anything or anyone left to save? He saw a glimmer of purple amongst the ash. Sam's backpack. He ran to it. Sam was unconscious, but alive. Dash managed to grab her and her weapon filled backpack before being spotted alive. The authorizes had started to arrive. Maybe they would help. Gun fire and screaming mixed in the air. Danny's parents had arrived. Dash had managed to get Sam to the bathroom door away from gun fire. Ecto guns seemed to be the only thing working. Dash made a plan. Dan thought he had died. Even with Danny's warning, Dan had not seem him. It was Dashes chance to be a hero.

Dash pulled the thermos out of Sam's bag. With a deep breath he ran into battle. He pointed the thermos at Dan and opened it. He heard something behind him and assumed Sam was awake. He should have turned around. He should have known there could be more than one Dan. He should have been watching over Sam.

By the time he woke up, it was over. He looked at the ceiling. It was white tile. Was he in the hospital? He checked to make sure he had all his limbs. They were all there. How had he been so useless? Where were his parents? Where were the others? His heart rate on the monitor began to speed up. He hadn't noticed it before. Next to him was an iv. It connected into his right arm. He tried to sit up. It sent his head spinning. He lifted his left arm to his head. Bandages. Why? Had someone hit him on the head burning the fight? It could have been an ecto gun, but he wouldn't have survived that.

Sam. The name rung through his head. Danny told him to save her, and he had left her there just for a chance at glory. His eyes finally landed on the nurse call button. He pressed it.

A small blonde woman came in with a smile. Her hair was in a bun. Her scrubs where a matching dark blue with white shoes on the floor.

"Oh good, you're awake. Your mother just left to take a shower. You have been out for-" She checked the chart, "Forty-six hours. You were hit in the head with an ecto shot. When you fell, Phantom managed to save the girl. She's okay because of you." The nurse smiled. "I'll call your parents and be back in a minute." She walked out.

Sam was alive. His mother was alive. Was everyone okay?


	15. Life?

I do not own Danny Phantom. Just a little side note: I do have other Danny Phantom stories.

* * *

Dan tried to move, but he felt weak. The blonde numbskull had managed to trap a fourth of him into the thermos. A fourth of his energy, No a forth of his soul had been taken from him. He had bruises lacing his chest, and a cut on his right leg. The ghost equivalent to blood stained his pants green.

He floated in the ghost zone. If he had the motivation, he would start destroying this world. He had to get that part of his soul back before Clockwork or the observers found him. He looked at all the doors. Every world he had destroyed before laid just beyond each one. His mind raced. He hadn't betrayed this world, yet. They did not know who he was. His mind scanned through the list of villains. Someone who hated Danny just as much as he did, but would be willing to make a "partnership." He grimaced at the word.

Ember... No

Skullker... No

Technous...No

Box Ghost? He almost laughed at the fact his mind even went to that pathetic excuses for a ghost. The laugh sent a shot of pain to what was left of his lifeless heart. Life? Ha what an even bigger joke. He hated life and the world that had created world had created him, and abandoned him. He had lost everyone. If he didn't get his happiness, neither did either of his halves. A wicked smiled wormed its way across his blue face. His halves. Danny... and Vlad.

He slowly went to a door and opened it. The room was filled with... cardboard boxes? He knew which idiot lived there. Box Ghost. Maybe he could be of some help. Dan began to move through the room towards a strange green light. He gasped as he saw the source. A ghost portal?

That explained a lot. A small cot and some clothes, probably the ones he was buried in since they seemed more formal then the ones he always wore, sat in the corner. The ones he more than likely died in. Box Ghost was having trouble accepting his death. Wasn't that why he was here? Unfinished business.

Dan laid down on the cot. Maybe some of his powers would come back as he slept dreaming of death and discord.

* * *

Dash sat up as his mother entered the room. Tears seem to swim down her face, pulled by more than just gravity. He ignored the on coming headache from his sudden motion. Seconds seemed like hours as he waited for her to speak. To give him any news about his ... friends? She did not want to face that. She wanted just a few moments of joy from having her son back.

Dash finally broke the heavy silence. "Is Dan-" He winced at the name encased inside the name he really wanted to say "Is Danny okay?" He needed to know that Amity Park still had a hero.

"Danny? Oh you mean Phantom? No one has seen him since the... incident." His mother confessed. She did not even have the heart to give it a more meaningful name.

Dash heart raced. Danny was missing? Possibly fully dead somewhere in the ghost zone. Amity Park was defenseless. If Dan wanted to ,which he did, he could destroy everything in just a few ghostly wails. Terror filled his gains. The heart monitor leaped in response.

"What about Sam and Tucker?" Dash asked with as much force as his shaking voice could manage. He sat forward still trying to ignore the pain crashing in on his bandaged skull.

"Who?" His mother asked in a concerned and confused voice.

"The Goth girl and techno geek!" Dash practically screamed. His mother reached out to him, but pulled back for fear of making him even more upset.

"The girl you said is in ICU with that boyfriend of hers." His mom said pointing over her shoulder and down the hallway.

"Boyfriend?" Dash asked. That could only be one of two people.

"Dash do not get jealous. Did you just save that girl so you could date her?" His mother asked accusingly.

"What? No. The boyfriend. What does he look like?" Was Danny alive? Was he in this very same hospital? If he was alive there was still a chance everything would be okay, isn't that what his life meant?

"Black hair, very blue eyes, and a white t shirt I think." She said raising a hand to her chin to think.

DANNY

It was suppose to be silent, but the whisper made its way into the air.

"Fenturd, get in here!" Dash yelled hoping the young teen hero could hear him, somehow though hospital doors. Dash realized it was useless.

"Mom, can you get him please? He is a friend." Dash asked. His mother looked on in shock at his change in demeanor, almost like e was hoping for something.

She went to the front desk and returned with a beaten and bruised Fenton. Then Danny said the one thing no one wanted to hear.

"Pauline's dead."

* * *

Thanks for the reviews and favorites. Keep them coming!


	16. Fire

I own nothing. Hello, I don't usually do these, but I wanted to make an announcement. This story has reached 50 followers! The most I've ever had on one story. Shout out to Biobicfalconr. You are the reason behind this joy. Thank you for every follow, favorite, and review! Now onto the next chapter, and also sorry (NOT SORRY) about killing off Paulina.

* * *

The familiar green glow hit his eyes before the current situation processed through his brain. He was in the past and in the ghost zone. He turned over on the cot. Reaching for something, anything to make the past 10+ years nothing but a dream. A dream he was currently waking up from, but all his hands felt were cardboard boxes. He cursed under his breath. It was real, every moment of it. Right down to the moment the blonde imbecile had trapped a forth of his soul. Did that make him unstable? Would he turn to goo as the clones did? As Danni had many years ago? Or did it just make him weak? Weaker than ... Dash. The name brought back many memories. All of which seemed to haunt him. He did not know which consequence was worse. Losing to Dash or turning to goo.

He was the worst parts of two people. Danny without his friends or family to love him, utterly alone and full of regret. Vlad without his love for Maddie, but still fueled by his hatred for Jack. He was fully a ghost, the ghost of two people he had killed just for the hope of existing without going back to the people who did not deserve his hatred. Vlad had managed to survive. Dan silently laughed at the amount of years it must have taken Vlad to heal from his wounds.

Dan tried to remember who he was, back when he was Vlad in college and Danny in high school. Back when he was filled with the emotion that was taken away from him the second he became Dan. Happiness. It now made him sick. How could he ever be happy without her... Sam.

Tick Tock.

The sound of a clock broke him from his memories. He looked to see where it was, but was only met with the sight of more boxes. It was probably in one of them. He frowned. Even with three forths of his power, he was still stronger than Danny. He doubted he could taken on all three of them. Four, his mind corrected. With a small whimper, he sat up. Floating to the portal he noticed something small stuck to it with a magnet.

_Dear Daddy,_

_Momma says you've gone to a better place. Is that true? I really miss you. When are you coming home? Everyone in town says they see you on the news. Momma says not to believe them. It feels weird leaving this on a rock with you're name on it, but I don't want Momma to hear this. I forgive you Daddy. I know you didn't mean it. You can come home now. Momma says I have to go to dinner now. I'll write you soon._

_-XOXO_

_Jenny_

Dan almost laughed. So Box Ghost had another daughter. One who was alive? Half of Dan wished to learn more. The other half wanted nothing more than to burn the paper and take away his happiness. He settled in the middle, blaming it on not wanting to waste his strength. He left. The paper fell to the floor on the ghost side of the portal. He could smell the garbage. He was in a back alley behind a fast food place that was honestly not cleaner than Nasty Burger.

He could feel the first real smile of the year forming on his face.

* * *

Dash's heart rate quickened. Tears threatened to pour. The couldn't be real. He had just seen her last week. He did the only thing he could. He denied it. He denied it in his mind, in his soul, and finally his voice.

"No, you're lying. She can't be dead." Dash almost screamed. He slammed his over sized fist down beside him. "Tell me its a lie."

Danny looked down in silence. Dash felt everything inside of himself drop.

"No. No... NO! You're a liar. Get out! GET OUT!" He screamed pointing at the door Danny had entered only a moment earlier. Dash's mother cover her face trying to push away the tears. She hadn't wanted him to know. Not yet. He had just woken up.

Danny let a moment pass, before he walked out the door and back to Sam. Nothing he did could change what Dan had done.

Dash blamed Danny even if it was a small part. It was his ghost powers that made Dan. Paulina was always putting herself in harms way to impress HIM.

"Mom, could I have a moment." He sighted. "Alone" He sounded so hollow. She could only nod fulfill his request.

Once alone, Dash let the tears fall. It was weak, unmanly, and unlike him. He didn't care. She was gone. She'd never again cheer him on at games, or flirt with him at the lockers. Paulina was DEAD. He felt like his eyes, heart ,and lungs were on fire. All for her.

* * *

Oh, almost forgot. I will try to do a "Bob's Burger" story in the next month or two.


	17. Pink

I own nothing.

* * *

The steam around him made his back relax a bit. His head was throbbing with pain. All he could think about was Sam.

Danny reached to turn off the water. Letting his forehead rest against the once cool shower wall. He watched drop after drop of water fall off his bangs. He lifted his head and grabbed a towel. Two weeks had passed. Two weeks without a single ghost. They were either having a random burst of sympathy, or they knew not to bother because someone else was taking care of their nuisance. Either way, Amity Park was in a suspense filled silence.

Sam had awoken after three days, but her memory of the event was rocky. Dash was up and fighting again. Trying to hunt down the ghost that was determined to hide. Tucker was shifting through files and the ghost zone looking for how Dan had escaped, but it wasn't the right time. Clockwork made sure no one could find his tower. All of his other free time was spent watching the very precious thermos. Danny refused to touch it.

The sound of his cell phone broke his thoughts. He opened it waiting for the voice on the other end to notice he was there.

"Hello." He finally said into the silence

"She's here." Tucker said while staring at a female ghost with anger and fear on her face.

"Who's where?" Danny asked. Tired of Tucker's cryptic half messages.

"Paulina. She's looking for you. I guess unrequited love counts as unfinished business." Tucker said steering the Spector speeder closer to her.

"She's alive?" Danny asked not yet realizing where Tucker was.

"Not even close. She looks like you in phantom form, except for her hot pink eyes." Tucker said barely able to see the pink glow.

"Should we tell Dash?" Danny asked.

"I think he should see this for himself." Tucker responded. "Oh no, she's spotted me. I have to go." Tucker hung up.

Danny put the phone down. Not bothering to question how Tucker had rigged up cell service in the ghost zone.

In a place not as far off as the ghost zone, two evil being were stirring.

* * *

Vlad had Dan strapped to a chair. Running diagnostics on the poor and beaten soul or what was left of it. He didn't need to know all the details. Vlad never cared about the life the ghost had. He only cared about what was left. A being so full of hate was his play thing, for now.

"Tell me again why you hate Daniel." Vlad asked.

"He defeated me and created me." Was all Dan ever said.

"Alright. Alright. You aren't whole, which means you can't beat him. If what you are saying is true, he already took you down at full power." Vlad pressing the buttons to make Maddie manifest before him.

"All done sweety." The hologram said.

Dan grimaced. Vlad had gotten so confident with having Dan controlled that he allowed Maddie to walk freely. After all, if Danny could take him down at full power, Vlad should have no trouble at three forths. Help in exchange for Daniel. Too bad he didn't know that his own ghost half was in jeopardy.


	18. Click

I own nothing. I am so sorry for the delay. I blame college.

* * *

Dash felt his chest tighten as they floated through the ghost zone. Danny drove. Dash took shot gun sat in the back. Sam was still in the hospital. Door after door passed the window. They didn't even need to convince him to come. He jumped at the chance to see Paulina even if it was only what was left of her. A purple door was on the right. A purple one on the left. They all looked the same, yet they all looked very different. Most were simple bedroom doors. Others were kitchen or doors to other rooms. It looked like a disconnected house. The ones that he most paid attention to were the ones with no door knobs. Dash knew that he didn't really care about the doors. He just needed a distraction. Wondering what lay behind each door distracted him from what was somewhere else in the ghost zone. Danny held the map. According to him it held every door in the ghost zone. All he needed to do was find the door that hadn't been there yesterday. There were dozens. It was always changing. Then suddenly Dash realized something.

"These door all look like Amity Park's bed room." He said without thinking. Danny looked up and saw something he hadn't noticed. The door were still. When everything was floating and moving, how could he not notice that the doors stayed still as long as they were not touched.

"Where does Paulina live?" Danny asked.

It was easy to get to, but nothing was there. Not a single door.

"Where could they be? It isn't like the whole gave yard is just set up like an apartment complex." Tucker said throwing his hands around. Something Dash wanted to knock his lights out for.

Dash slid Danny over by force. "HEY WATCH IT!" Danny yelled, but the look in Dash's eye silenced him. Dash speed over to where the cemetery would be. Doors were every where. The sky almost looked purple instead of green.

"Which door is hers?" Dash asked.

Danny pointed to one that looked like a closet door with a diamond _P_ on it.

"I'll give you one guess." Danny said. They floated over to it. Dash balled up his fist to punch the door, but forgot one simple rule. 'In the ghost zone we are the ghosts.' He fell trough and landed in a room full of money and clothes. Things that were useless in the after life. Everything was pink. If Sam was there, she would have thrown up. The place glittered and sparkled. It was as if Paulina personality had come to life.

"You guys may want to take a look at this." Dash said as he looked behind him. Danny Phantom's face was a mural on the wall. A red lipstick X went through the serious face. Word were scribbled on every inch.

"He should have saved me.", "Where was he?", "How could he let me die?", "I put myself in danger for HIM?", "He's the reason I'm here."

"It looks like she blames you." Tucker said.

"YOU THINK?" Danny said angrily. They walked further in. Each filling their own guilt, except Tucker. One bed room the size of the op center. A bathroom. Three closets. It looked like Sam's house, except the bedroom. They heard the door click. Each his amount the clothes.


	19. Afterlife

I'm sorry about the delay. I was out of town. I'm back now so let's get started. I do not own Danny Phantom.

Dash, Danny, and Tucker found places to hide in the room. As they buried themselves deeper into the closet, Paulina opened the door. Her pink eyes glowed as she floated into the room. There was pain on her face and fury in her eyes. The air cooled in the room, as if it could have gotten any colder. Her now dead heart was filled with hate. Dash looked at her with confusion and curiosity. Was this angry ghost really Paulina? Last time he had saw her….. His mind froze on the thought of the charred body that had lain on the Nasty Burger's floor. She seemed paler now, almost green or blue. His heart felt heavy. This was grief. This is what it meant to care for another human. Even if she had never cared about him.

Danny checked to see what Paulina's powers were linked to. All that seemed to show was the anger she directed at Danny. Had she really expected him to love her and save her? If he had been there, he would have. He should have been there.

Danny shook his head. It was no time to think of the past. They came here to see her, not make peace. She was too angry to forgive him. Too angry to do anything but kill him. He looked for a weapon. Skullker had guns. Technious had technology. Ember had her guitar. As far as Danny could tell, there was no weapons. He looked over to Tucker.

Tucker typed away on his PDA. Paulina's room or realm or whatever it was, no one was entirely sure, had internet. It was hooked up throughout the house. He started typing to turn his PDA into a universal remote. It was easy to do so as her own remote was on the couch. Probably thanks to Technious. Paulina always did get what she wanted. Tucker shuttered at the thought of a who knows how old ghost flirting with Paulina. With a few taps, the room started going crazy. Everything turned on and off in no order other than which button Tucker could press first.

Dash could not rap his head around the world that had just changed around him. Death use to mean the end of things. A time to grieve. Her death was nothing like that. She seemed to suffer. This was the afterlife? Before he knew what he was doing, Dash walked out into the open.

Paulina turned to him. A moment of surprised made her let out a small gasp. Before her usual manner took over.

"If it isn't Mr. Used to be Somebody." She said with a look that could have sent him to the ghost zone.

"What happened to you?" Dash asked.

"Like I need to tell you!" She yelled. The room around her seemed to feed off her anger.

"You don't keep secrets." Dash said not entirely sure he was convinced of it himself.

"Because you were popular. I told you what I wanted you to hear. You were too easy. I could get anyone and anything I wanted except one." She said looking over to the wall of hate or was it a wall of regret.

Dash took a daring step forward. Of all the stupid decision he could have made he made one more. "Just calm down. Phantom isn't worth your afterlife."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN! He should have saved me. He should have been there." An aura of fuchsia surrounded her. She outstretched one hand. An echo energy ball started to form.

"I just don't see why! He wasn't the one who blew up the Nasty Burger. That was Dan." Dash said still convinced Paulina was behind the anger.

"Who's Dan?" She asked, holding the energy above her head. Was she willing to kill him?

"He's the future Phantom, and I need your help to get rid of him."


	20. Why?

I don't own Danny Phantom. I'm sorry to say that this story is almost over. I'm not sure how many chapters I will add. It depends on the length of each one. This chapters will be a little longer than what I usually post. I fill as though you all deserve a detailed ending.

Paulina's eye seemed to reflect the sudden drop her heart felt. She had a chance to get rid of the future Phantom. Was it the same thing as killing the current Phantom? Did it matter? After he was gone would she rest in peace? Did that even matter? Could anyone really rest in peace after entering the ghost zone?

Dash did not seem to notice the internal struggle Paulina was going through. His patients was wearing thin, but he bit his tongue as to not anger the woman in front of him that could end him with the simple flick of the wrist. His heart still raced as he watched the ball of ecto energy.

As Paulina's mind keep spinning, she began to loosen the grip on her anger. Slowly the weapon she had created decreased in size. Her arm lowers millimeter by millimeter until it was back at her side. She closed her hand into a tight fist.

Scared that Paulina's anger was going to grow again, Dash began to speak.

"Look I'm no genius, but I know who the real bad guy is." Dash pleaded unsure of where his courage was coming from. Maybe it was from always being at risk for injures on the football field. In the back of his mind, he knew exactly where this surge of bravery had come from, Danny. From a mixture of see Fenton taking on both a life of fighting and a life of peace. He could have easily given into the darkness around him, yet he choose to fight evil. Just as Dash had agreed to do.

"Why? WHY! Why should I help you! Why wasn't he there!?" Paulina screamed. The room started to turn the same hot pink as her eyes. Dash stepped back a moment questioning if that was normal.

"He's doing the best he can. He didn't even noticed Dan was loose. All Phantom wants to do is capture the ghost that did this to you!" Dash said defending the only friends he had left.

"He wants to get revenge on my killer? Why didn't you just tell me? I knew Phantom wouldn't just let me die like that!" She said confused but chipper.

Dash was certainly confused now as were Danny and Tucker. All Paulina wanted was to know she wasn't forgotten? The air in the room lightened up. The lights returned to normal. Was it really over just like that?

"I'll help you, but first I need a favor." Paulina said acting cute. Of course there was a catch. There always was.

"Yes?" Dash said wincing. He had already convinced himself that what she said next was going to hurt.

"I want a date with Phantom. I want the truth from him." Paulina said. Thank goodness it was something reasonable though Goth Girl wouldn't be happy about it.

Dash agreed though he felt a twinge of something he couldn't identify. Tucker felt some jealousy sure Paulina was a ghost, but she was still Paulina. Danny felt guilt. A lot of guilt.

Danny phased himself and Tucker out to the open. Invisibility hid them as he told Dash to go outside. Dash stumbled a bit with his words as he walked out of the room. Closing the door behind him, he, Tucker, and Danny left the Ghost Zone, the land of the dead.

Tucker let a sigh escape his lips as he slid down the door. One of these day theses ghost missions were going to kill him. He laid in his bed. His friend? Yeah, his friend had just turned a ghost from enemy to friend. That was a rarity. As he heard the clock tick away the last calm seconds before they had to face Dan again, he wondered if Dash could actually pull it off. If maybe just maybe they could actually face Dan for a second time and win. The only way to defeat the evil ghost form of his best friend was the way they had beaten him before, trapping him in the thermos. A forth of him already sat away from the world. A piece of the evilest being in existence. A piece of who his best friend would be without those who love him.

Tucker reached out to the picture on the desk beside him. It was from a comic book convention. Danny was standing in the center. His arms locked behind Tucker to his left and Sam to his right. Tucker stared at his own smile. What had happened to those simple times? He almost laughed at the menacing look Sam was giving the camera. I couldn't even remember who had asked to take the picture. He smiled as he placed it back down on his desk. He pulled out his PDA, opened the ghost files, and started to update them.

Danny sat back in his chair. He had always wanted a dated with Paulina queen of the school, but this was not how he wanted it. In all honest, he would probably be thinking of Sam the whole time. She was still very weak, but luckily alive. Her mother insisted on bed rest, and for once Danny agreed. He had already told her over the phone. To which she replied with not the nicest words in her vocabulary. All he needed to do was apologize and explain that he was just too late. At least she was giving him a chance to explain, though Sam had warned him it may be a trap. He was willing to take that risk. He needed more heroes. He would have never thought of Dash and Paulina as heroes.

Dash arrived on the football field, late for practice again. Kwan gave him a disappointed look and ran to join the rest of the team. Dash felt that feeling again. This time he gave into it. He coach had never seen him practice so hard. He was letting off steam. He had been ignored, lied to, and forgotten. He was tired of it, no more than tired of it. He was done with it. After they defeat Dan, he would never be forgotten again. He let that anger fill him as he practiced.

All the teens seemed to have over looked one minor detail, Dan could and would attack when they least expected it.


	21. Shadows on the Table

I own nothing.

It was days like this that made Danny miss being human. After all his waiting and dreaming, he was finally going on a date with Paulina. The only problem was that her bright pink eyes only made him feel hollow. He hadn't saved her, but now he had a chance to tell her why. The park was filled with people that seemed to only stare at the two ghost. Danny turned his head to see who all was there. A few younger children and what seemed to be their mothers sat near the empty lot of grass that had once held Ember's stage. A family of four were having a picnic. Every where he looked he only saw smile, except on the face right in front of him.

Paulina sat on the other side of the picnic table. Sitting in front of her was her low cal, no trans fat meal. Danny was surprised that even in the after life, she was watching her figure. Neither one had spoken. Dash, Tucker, and Sam sat at a near by table.

Sam felt a little uncomfortable about having to wear converce instead of her combat boots, but her favorite shoes had not survived the _incident. _Anger boiled just under the surface. She didn't like Paulina, but she hated the idea of Paulina and Danny on a date.

Tucker was paying more attention to his PDA than their date. He had already set up a camera. It was hidden in a small bush pointed right at Paulina and Danny.

Dash was jealous and angry. Shock held him in place. Paulina really did blame Danny. She really did just want a date.

Tension filled the air as she waited for him to explain, but his words never came. How could he explain to her that just wasn't fast enough? It just didn't seem right. Danny felt as though those words were just not important enough to make up for his absence. He had tried.

Danny's mind flashed back to that day. How he had raced as fast as he could to get to her, but he hadn't been heading to Paulina. He had been trying to save Sam. Because he had been so focused on getting to Sam, Paulina hadn't even been a thought. He didn't even know Paulina was there. How could he have known! They weren't close. He should have been faster. He should have tried harder. He should have... He couldn't have.

"I wasn't make excuses. My mind was focused on so many questions about what had happened at Nasty Burger. I should have flown faster, but it was over in minutes. I'm not perfect. I'm only hu- a ghost. I'm only a ghost." The lie felt as natural as pretending to be only human had become. "I'm sorry, but I did the best I could. I just wasn't fast enough." He said as he lowered his head.

Paulina tried to look him in the eyes. He refused to look up. Her heart almost felt sympathy. Almost, if only her head wasn't still holding on to the fact that he had always saved every one that had ever gotten into trouble around him, except her. She didn't know that he had once lost everyone. She didn't know that Dan had resulted from that loss. She only though of what had happened to her. She just couldn't accept that Phantom had nothing and everything to do with her death.

"Dan." Danny paused. "The future me. He's from a time when everyone and everything I love d- died in front of my eyes. He wanted that. He was going to take out everyone I love one by one."

_He loves me?_ Paulina thought as she took in a deep breath.

"He still plans to. Please, help me. He exists out of time and space. His world can never come to exist." His voice started to waver. "If he turns me into him, no one will survive." He let the tears fall as he tucked his head into his arm. He felt something cold on his arm. At first he thought it was Paulina's hand until he realized it was his own breath. The blue stream graced his arm again as his breath caught and his heart sank. A familiar and distinct shadow fell on the table. The another shadow he had only seen one, yet would never forget appeared next to the first.


	22. All Together

I own nothing. Sorry for the delay. My charger died, so I didn't have a computer for a while.

The park emptied in a matter of moments. Danny couldn't feel himself breath. The once cheerful picnic now sat empty. Four plates and four cups sat spilled and crushed. They say adrenaline kicks in instantaneously. Some people notice it. Some people have no time to think about it before their bodies respond with fight or flight. Danny noticed it. It felt like hours had passed before his hand glowed green and let out an unexpected ecto shot at Dan. In realty, he had moved so fast Paulina didn't even have time to block her eyes from the bright green light.

Dan easily blocked it. Dash was quick to pull out the thermos. Vlad was even quicker at shooting it out of his hand. The pink light burned Dash's palm. Sam flipped over the picnic table to make a shield. Tucker ducked behind it as he pulled out the Fenton crammer. The small hand held vacuum could hopefully hold Dan. Everything was happening as seconds past. Sam took off the Fenton Specter Deflector. Danny had told her that Vlad couldn't transform if he was wearing it. All she had to do was put it on him. Easier said than done.

Dan flew above Danny. His ghostly wail echoed through Amity Park. As he took a breath, a wicked smile formed on his face. It then dropped as he saw what stood infront of him. Paulina stood with her arms forward. A cracked shield had taken the bulk of the blast. The light through the shield cast a pink glow on her furious face. Dan was caught off guard as he felt a blast hit his back.

Vlad lifted up Dash in his pain induced daze. Dash could barley hear Sam demanding voice. Her words registered in his brain. A command. "Catch." He did as he was told. It was cold on one side, warm on the other. He was slightly confused as he held... a belt? Vlad tried to drop him as Dash put it around Vlad's waist. They both fell. Dash looked up and noticed who he had been fighting. The creep with Danny's mom as his screen saver. Dash let his fist connect with the old man's jaw. Vlad hardly had time to think before he felt the darkness surround his. He fell to the ground unconscious.

Dan duplicated himself. Five Dan's surrounded Danny and his friends. Paulina looked around stunned. One for each of them.

Tucker captured his Dan easily. No one knew he had a weapon. The news trucks would be arriving soon, so would Danny's parents. Tucker felt his heartbeat spike. That's what he wanted. Dan wanted them all here. That's why he showed up hear. He wanted them all together. Danny thought he was going after his friends one by one, but he wasn't. He wanted them all there. That's why he was at the Nasty burger. That's why he was defeated by Dash. In his life time, Dash was the bully. He didn't know that Sam was alone. He thought they had all been there.

Dan wanted them all dead. If Danny's parents arrived, they would be.


	23. Elvis is to blame

**I own nothing. Sorry about reconnecting at 30. I am working on updating it. New start is also in the works. I will be making a hey arnold fic soon. Please keep reviewing. Shout out to Invader Johnny for always reviewing.**

Tucker felt time slipping away. Danny's parents were never far from a ghost fight. He had to find a way to distract them. He handed the Fenton Crammer to Sam.

"I need to keep the Fenton's away from here." Tucker said as he ran off.

Sam stared in confusion for a few seconds. Half of the table behind her exploded. She rolled away from it. Her heart raced as she held up the crammer, aimed, and captured her Dan. It was too easy. Like all of his attention wasn't there, or like he was waiting on something.

Paulina let out three ecto blast before the last one hit. It knocked Dan back for only a second. A second was all Sam needed to capture him. Three down. Two to go.

Danny was equally matched with his future self. Dash was lacking. He wanted to fight he wanted to be part of the action. A small ecto blast knocked him to the ground.

"You know that I could have killed you in high school."Dan said as he blasted inches below Dash's feet. Dash scrambled backwards.

"I could have made you my victim." Dan let out another blast. It landed right below where Dash was now sitting. Dash started back again. This time he didn't stop.

"My target." Another ecto blast. Dash now made it to his feet and ran right towards Dan.

He closed his eyes. _I am no ones target. _Dash thought as he waited to hit the one person he had been hitting all of high school. He soon felt his body contact with another at full speed.

Sam held her head as she laid on the ground. The 200 lb jock had managed to knock her over just as she had put Dan into the crammer.

Dash got up. He was about to apologize when a picnic table to his right exploded.

* * *

Tucker had managed to find the Fentons. They hadn't even left their home. Jack sat on the couch. He had already made a plan to keep them away.

"GHOST!" He yelled.

"Ghost?" Jack and Maddie repeated and she stuck her head out of the kitchen. They both jumped up.

"Where?" Jack said in an almost heroic voice.

"The school." Tucker let out in a huff. He pointed in the direction of the door and lead them out in the opposite direction of the actual ghost fight. The Fenton always went where the ghost were. Even if someone was lying.

* * *

Dash turned his head. Danny had been shot right into it. He was trying to get up when a pink blast hit Dan from behind. Danny got off the table just in time for Dan to hit it. Sam then grabbed the Specter Deflector off of Vlad. She threw it to Danny who went invisible. As Dan faced Paulina as Danny placed it on Dan. Dan screamed. Sam readied, aimed, and fired the Fenton Crammer. Five down. Zero to go.

The air felt lighter. Dan was defeated. They kept Dan and his original forth separated.

Danny decided to hand Dan back over to Clockwork knowing the only reason that he had defeated Dan was because he had been separated fro so long. He made a mental note to thank Dash.

* * *

The Fentons gave Tucker a doubtful look when they could not find a ghost.

"Tucker, there is nothing here." Maddie said.

"Oh, Phantom must have already taken care of him." Tucker said with a shrug.

* * *

Danny flew into the ghost portal. He ignored all of the doors as he headed towards Clockwork's tower.

"I believe this belongs to you." He said as he threw the crammer and thermos to Clockwork. "How exactly did he get free? You don't seem beaten up." Danny said.

"He didn't beat me up. It will forever be a mystery to you. Now return to your family. You have some celebrating to do." Clockwork said with a smile.

Danny smiled and flew off.

Clockwork let out a sigh as he remembered how Dash had gotten free.

_Clockwork was sweeping up the room. HEY! even ghost like tidiness. Elvis was playing a live show through the portal. As Clockwork started to dance with his broom as his partner, he spun the broom into the nearby thermos. It landed on the release button and Dan flew out. He disappeared through Danny's portal. Clockwork's staff had been on the other side of the room. He had no way to stop him._

Clockwork let out a sigh. It was better left a mystery.


	24. Graduation

**I own nothing. This is the last chapter. I am sorry to see this end, but all great things must end. Thank you for the reviews. I hope to see your reviews on my other stories.**

Epilogue.

Life was different now. Three year really can change people. As Sam looked in the mirror, she adjusted her cap. It was painted black, as was her gown. The combat boot she had bought after defeating Dan sat on her closet floor. She had long grown out of them, but for two years she had worn them through every moment she shared with Danny, Tucker, and Dash.

"Samantha, it is time to go." Her father called from downstairs.

Besides the snide comments, people no longer messed with Team Phantom. Tucker smiled as he looked into his own mirror. Casper high red stained his cap and gown. He climbed into his parents' car.

Everyone smiled. The news team was already broadcasting the event. After all, Phantom was graduating.

The group of friends stood in line. Danny stood in front of Tucker. Dash was two from the front. Sam was near the back. The entrance music started. Each person took their seat. The top four students and Danny sat on the stage. A picture of Paulina sat in what would have been her seat.

Mr. Lancer began his speech. 15 minutes later it was Danny's turn to speak.

"Hello, fellow students." Danny began as he had practiced many times before. "We may think that today starts the rest of our lives, but it doesn't." A small gasp from the crown.

"Our lives are always changing. Each day is the start to something greater. As we pass over this stage, we also pass this stage in our lives. These memories will stay with us forever. You may remember me as Phantom or as Fenton, but you should remember each other as friends. It is time to say goodbye to this place, and hello into the people this place made us become. Congratulations class of 20-" The mic cut off. Danny did not notice and sat back down. He gave a small nod to Jazz who had helped him with his speech.

Each student walked across the stage. Each went on with their lives. Dash fell short of professional football, but the degree he got while playing in college allowed him to be the new coach at Casper High. Sam went on to conserve 3 endangered species. Danny still fought ghost when he was on Earth. Tucker was the CEO of a large robotics company. He never did get married.

Danny and Sam had tied the knot, but with both of their jobs it was too soon for kids.


End file.
